It was the eighth day since the apocalypse began.
Fang Yangyang gazed out through the glass wall.
Ever since the world ended, dense clouds repeatedly choked out the sun. The bright, golden weather typical of September had become a rarity. Even waking at eight in the morning, when the sun should have been blazing high, the world outside remained dim and hazy.
It felt as though everything in the environment was delivering a single message to humanity: the world had changed forever.
Mutated creatures, awakened abilities.
Fang Yangyang watched intently as several large, filthy dogs outside gnawed on an unrecognizable chunk of bloody flesh. Their muzzles were stained crimson. When they raised their long snouts, their glowing red eyes were chilling to behold.
In the apocalyptic novel, the teachers and students at Xichi University were finally able to gather together because they found students majoring in electrical engineering and headed to Yinyue Stage with them.
Utilizing the special powers of lightning ability users, they immediately restored the power, repaired the malfunctions, and broadcasted the locations where survivors could gather, one by one.
The clock ticked toward three in the afternoon.
On the eighth day of the apocalypse, the sports student whose arm had been scratched by the British Shorthair developed a fever.
Yan Fengji and his senior, Wen Qing, put on disposable gloves and stepped forward to examine him. The cafeteria’s convenience store had limited supplies, making the discovery of disposable gloves a stroke of luck.
Yan Fengji pressed a cold, damp cloth against the student’s forehead, murmuring quietly to Wen Qing, “Does it look like rabies?”
“Hard to say,” Wen Qing replied, her brow furrowed with concern. She kept her voice down, careful not to project her anxiety to the worried bystanders nearby.
“Once a person awakens a superpower, illnesses might not present the way they used to.”
Still conscious, the sports student touched his face with a bitter smile. “This feels even worse than the night my power awakened.”
Yan Fengji fell silent. He stood, took off his gloves, and washed his hands at the sink.
He then checked in on several other companions who had also suffered injuries earlier. Their wounds, however, had come from different circumstances.
One recounted how a mutated cat had intercepted him on his way to the cafeteria. He had tried to shield himself, but was not fast enough to prevent a gash to his calf.
One person said their palm had been cut open by tree branches that had sprouted sharp, mutated thorns, but the wound had already fully healed.
Several others had injuries unrelated to mutated creatures. Some had simply tripped and fallen in their panic, while others were cut by broken glass. Among them was the short girl from the group of five who had arrived on the sixth day of the apocalypse; she had accidentally cut herself climbing through a window.
None of them showed any signs of a fever.
Even the student who shared a nearly identical situation with the physical education major, having been scratched by a mutated cat, showed no discomfort at all.
Using these two very rough reference points to rule out possibilities, Wen Qing told the physical education student, “Maybe it’s just a regular cold. Don’t worry, your immune system will help you pull through.”
Her words were mostly meant to comfort him. Under their current circumstances, without medicine or lab equipment, no one could tell the true cause of his fever. As a medical doctoral student, the best help she could offer was to put the patient’s mind at ease, keeping low spirits from interfering with his body’s natural healing process.
Hearing this, the male physical education student visibly relaxed. After drinking some hot water, he wrapped himself in a blanket and drifted into a deep sleep on his straw mat.
His fever served as a wake-up call for everyone. What if someone else suddenly fell ill later? In a crowded place like the cafeteria, one sick person could easily infect the rest.
Yan Fengji exchanged a few quiet words with his fellow senior classmates. Later that evening, as everyone was winding down after dinner, he formally called a meeting.
“Tomorrow, we need to split into two teams,” Yan Fengji said, his voice calm and steady, carrying a quiet authority. “One team will go to the campus hospital, and the other will head to the Yinyue Stage.”
Someone asked about the purpose of dividing their efforts.
“It’s September right now,” Wen Qing explained gently. Pausing, she glanced down at her phone’s calendar, which still had some battery left, before looking up with steady composure. “September 11th.”
“Going by previous years, the weather will turn cold in the next month or two.”
She spoke methodically, her gaze sweeping over the thoughtful, tense crowd. Her eyes caught Fang Yangyang, who was sitting obediently beside Dou Qing. The pretty girl rested her chin in her hands, listening quietly.
Wen Qing’s faint smile faded. “Given the coming weather, an outbreak of seasonal flu is very likely. We need to prepare ahead of time.”
“As for the Yinyue Stage,” Yan Fengji added calmly once she finished, “I think it’s time to see if we can reach any surviving faculty or students.”
Now that they understood the reasoning behind splitting into two groups, someone asked, “How will we arrange it?”
“We can’t all be going out, right?”
“Of course not. It’ll be strictly voluntary,” Meng Zizhao said, stretching his long legs as he spoke in an unhurried drawl. “I’m going. The route to the Yinyue Stage passes right by my dorm building, and if there’s time, I want to grab a few changes of clothes.”
He sounded completely nonchalant about it.
“Same here… I feel gross. I haven’t changed in days,” came the muted complaints from several students, both guys and girls.
Being stranded on their own campus had perhaps only one silver lining: with enough luck, they might manage to slip back into their dorm rooms to retrieve daily necessities and clean clothes.
Dou Qing turned to Fang Yangyang. “Are you going out?”
At that moment, only about a dozen people had raised their hands to volunteer for the two teams.
The crowd still shuddered at the thought of the mutated creatures. Over the past few days, the more timid students could barely bring themselves to look out the glass walls.
Prowling monsters and nauseating, blood-soaked feeding frenzies were enough to turn anyone pale with horror, especially knowing that mangled flesh might belong to someone they knew.
“Are you going?” Fang Yangyang countered.
Her resolve to follow Dou Qing’s lead was simple. Before the apocalypse began, she had kept Dou Qing in Jiangpu Canteen, disrupting the original apocalyptic novel’s plot where he was supposed to be in a different cafeteria. If she wanted to survive this smoothly, staying by his side was her best and most critical choice.
Dou Qing nodded. “The Yinyue Stage,” he named his destination. “I need to observe the mutated creatures on the way to establish baseline data for later analysis.”
“I’m coming with you,” Fang Yangyang said.
Her bright, clear eyes met his, her voice gentle and soft. Dou Qing had intended to tell her to stay behind, but seeing her determination, he swallowed his words. No matter what happened, he would protect her.
“All right.” He took her hand in his. His palm felt warm and steady, bringing a reassuring comfort.
Yan Fengji and his fellow senior students prepared to head for the campus hospital. Familiar with medical supplies, they knew exactly which urgent medications and equipment to prioritize once they arrived.
The group bound for Yinyue Stage included Meng Zizhao, Dou Qing, two students majoring in electrical engineering, and a young man who had registered an electric ability a few days earlier.
The next day, they took a final head count.
With the five newcomers who had arrived a few days ago, the canteen housed eighty-four people in total. Before setting out, fifty-six people were designated to stay behind. The first team, heading to the hospital, numbered fifteen. The second team, bound for Yinyue Stage, had thirteen.
Led by Yan Fengji, the first team carried woven bags and backpacks sourced from the convenience store. They also divided up some improvised bladed weapons the boys had forged with brute force. Their goal was simple: reach the campus hospital and haul back every usable medication they could pack.
For the second team, Meng Zizhao’s popularity made him the natural choice as leader. When he saw Fang Yangyang following right behind Dou Qing, preparing to join them, he froze. He wanted to speak up, but held back, settling for a furrowed brow and a soft sigh.
Armed with sharp weapons for self-defense and packed with bottled water and bread, they prepared to set out. Dou Qing took Fang Yangyang’s pastel blue backpack and dutifully slung it over his shoulders. Feeling its weight, his expression remained perfectly calm, showing not the slightest hint of curiosity.
Fang Yangyang had never mentioned what was inside. Aside from the women’s jacket and power bank she had pulled out earlier, Dou Qing deeply respected her privacy and never tried to peek whenever she opened it.
As they stepped out of the canteen, the lightning-type user, still crackling with electricity, remembered to warn the others.
“Keep your distance, guys. I still can’t control it very well, and it won’t be funny if I accidentally shock you.”
The campus hospital and Yinyue Stage lay in opposite directions. Setting out from Jiangpu Canteen, they found the once-smooth concrete paths buckled and cracked by tree roots bursting from the surrounding soil, making every step treacherous.
Meng Zizhao looked around. Compared to the first day of the apocalypse, all the mutated plants in sight had grown larger and more swollen. As if gorged on rich nutrients, they had run completely wild in just a few short days.
The rugged, difficult terrain added a full hour to their planned route before they finally reached Yinyue Stage.
Along the way, their large numbers, weapons, and awakened abilities proved highly effective at keeping mutated animals at bay. Carnivorous beasts watched from a distance, sensing danger, and none dared to approach.
The group had placed Fang Yangyang and the other women in the center of the formation, flanked by the strongest men at the front and rear. As they traveled smoothly toward their destination, Dou Qing snapped photos of the information he needed with his phone, keeping his other hand firmly clasped around Fang Yangyang’s, shielding her by his side the entire time.
Meng Zizhao viewed Dou Qing as a researcher and knew his primary goal for this trip was data collection, so he kept both Dou Qing and Fang Yangyang safely in the middle of the group where they wouldn’t have to worry about sudden ambushes.
Once they arrived at Yinyue Stage, Meng Zizhao broke the silence with a quick question. “Did anyone keep cats inside Yinyue Stage?”
“No,” one of the girls replied.
“I’m certain,” she said. “I used to be in the broadcasting department. Between our daily shifts and meetings, pets were strictly forbidden.”
“That’s a relief,” one of the boys said, exhaling. “Still, we can’t rule out strays, can we?”
While confident about the lack of pets, she couldn’t say the same for stray animals. Shaking her head, she admitted, “We’ll just have to search the place carefully.”
Everyone who had ventured out today to reach the Yinyue Stage possessed commendable courage and selflessness. Knowing how to operate the broadcast equipment, she had volunteered to help.
Acting as a living map, she guided them straight to the broadcast room with ease.
After running a few quick tests, however, she shook her head with a wry smile. “There’s no power. It won’t work.”
Two companions with backgrounds in electrical work stepped up to inspect the setup. They tinkered with the equipment for dozens of minutes, working up a sweat. Finally, one of them turned to the youth with lightning abilities.
“Come closer. Right, press your finger onto this socket.”
Beep—
Beep, beep, beep…
The moment the young man pressed his finger against the socket, the broadcast equipment surged to life, letting out a sharp, grating shriek that made everyone wince.
As the loudspeaker in the school infirmary lobby hummed, Wen Qing looked up thoughtfully at the dark speaker cone.
“Did they make it to the Yinyue Stage?”
Yu Zhi and Sun Ya were busy packing the infirmary’s stock of medicine into their backpacks in batches. Hearing her question, Yu Zhi replied, “Looks like it.”
Standing not far away, Yan Fengji also looked up toward the speaker, his expression cold and focused.
The low hum soon faded, replaced by a young woman’s voice. “Testing, testing. Can everyone hear me?”
Recognizing the familiar announcer tone, Wen Qing guessed it was the girl from the broadcasting department who had left with the second group that morning.
Someone else quickly took over the microphone.
It was Meng Zizhao.
He briefly gave the location of the Jiangpu Canteen, advising any nearby teachers and students to gather there, where the reinforced patented glass walls could keep them safe.
Meng Zizhao had spoken rapidly. Having delivered the crucial points, he suddenly stalled, unsure of what else to say. They only knew the situation inside Jiangpu Canteen, leaving them with little to share about other survivors across campus.
Suddenly, a soft, familiar female voice came over the broadcast. “Let me have it.”
Wen Qing paused, startled. Was that Fang Yangyang?
In the next second, her voice carried with crystalline clarity to every corner of the campus.
“This is the Yinyue Stage near Jiangpu Canteen.”
Looking over the photos Dou Qing had taken along their route, Fang Yangyang began listing the exact locations where mutated plants blocked the paths, forcing detours.
“If you are trying to reach the Yinyue Stage to exchange information, avoid Puyuan Avenue. Tree roots have completely overrun the area, making it impassable.”
“On the third floor of Building A on East Road, there are signs of mutated animal activity. Please steer clear of it.”
Dou Qing scrolled through his phone, pointing out several hazardous zones he had flagged for her.
“A pack of mutated dogs has gathered on the first floor of the Bio-Engineering Building.”
“…”
Meng Zizhao watched, dumbfounded, at the effortless synergy between them.
“Operating the equipment at Yinyue Stage requires a companion with a lightning-related ability,” Fang Yangyang said.
Seeing the two electrical engineering students nod in confirmation, she continued, “Without one, you might not be able to power the broadcast equipment.”
Her voice echoed across the campus, clear and gentle, reaching any conscious survivors near a loudspeaker.
At the same time, Fang Yangyang recalled parts of the original apocalyptic novel detailing other gathering points across the campus. Any isolated teachers and students scattered around could head for the nearest refuge.
Dou Qing reached the final photo on his phone, running out of prepared material for her to read.
Before he could put his phone away, her warm, gentle voice carried on, softly sharing her analysis of potential survivor shelters across Xichi University.
“The following is just my personal assessment. Aside from Jiangpu Canteen, places like Chunhua Canteen, the liberal arts building, and the administration building all offer favorable conditions for sheltering survivors.”
Fang Yangyang had a good memory, still recalling the brief summaries of the various survivor hubs at Xichi University from the original apocalyptic novel. Generally speaking, structural integrity, the availability of nearby food supplies, and the presence of stray animals were the key factors in determining where people could gather.
Drawing on those descriptions, she explained the strengths and weaknesses of each location in her own words, sending her message across the campus through the broadcast system.
Noticing Dou Qing’s raised eyebrows and the shock on Meng Zizhao’s face, Fang Yangyang kept her composure and continued, “If any teachers or students are near these locations, please head to the closest and most suitable shelter, as long as you can do so safely.”
The young, clear voice echoed across the campus, gentle, calm, and full of hope. “I hope to see you all soon.”
Yan Fengji stared at the black loudspeaker, rendered completely speechless.
In a broadcast lasting barely ten minutes, Fang Yangyang had briefly identified the obstacles along the path to Yinyue Stage and analyzed the likely survivor shelters across campus with striking familiarity and precision.
He had a strange hunch that every single shelter she mentioned was genuine and capable of sustaining teachers and students. Later events would prove him right.
His senior classmates stared silently at the speaker, overwhelmed with emotion. “Fang Yangyang… she…”
His senior, Wen Qing, suddenly smiled. “She is amazing.”
“And she’s so pretty and cute,” Wen Qing added with a laugh. “It’s impossible not to like her.”